RAF Regiment Pilots Face Another Challenge

Squadron Leader Tim Taylor OC 2623 Sqn

RAF Regiment Pilots Face Another Challenge – Last year the RAF Regiment’s own Paramotor Team, the RAPTORS, attempted to fly around the coastline of the UK. This year they are preparing to undertake another challenge; Exercise PARAMOTOR CHALLENGE 30. This is an attempt to fly from RAF Catterick (now Marne Barracks) the site of the depot that many will remember, to RAF Honington, the present depot in 2 days.

The Raptors – RAF Regiment Pilots Face Another Challenge

The Raptors are the RAF Regiment’s own Paramotor Team, both pilots are active members of the RAF Reserve and fly their own paramotors. They both started the same way, qualifying as paraglider pilots through the Services Adventure Training Centre at Crickhowell and then progressing to paramotoring at the UFly4Fun Paramotor School at Winglands. The pilots are Squadron Leader Tim Taylor from Kirton OC 2503 Squadron RAuxAF Regiment and Flight Lieutenant Mike O’Hara DSC of 2503 Squadron RAuxAF Regiment.

This Year’s Challenge

Flight Lieutenant Mike O’Hara DSC of 2503 Sqn

The planned challenge this year is to fly from the historic RAF Regiment Depot that was at RAF Catterick to the present Depot at RAF Honington. This attempt will also mark the start of the move from Catterick to Honington that took place 30 years ago, this led to the name Ex PARAMOTOR CHALLENGE 30. During the flight, the team will also be attempting to land and take off at Belton Park; in 1942 this was RAF Belton Park, the site of the very first RAF FRegiment depot. The team are currently aiming to make the attempt in Jul/Aug this year.

The flight from RAF Catterick to RAF Honington is 196 miles, whiuch could, with ideal weather and winds, be completed in two days. However, as was found last year during Ex PARAMOTOR CHALLENGE, the UK weather seldom plays fair. There is also some complex airspace en-route to be navigated, especially around RAF Lakenheath and Mildenhall. The team will be supported by a small road party providing logistic and medical support. The route follows the path of the A1 for much of the flight, a route familiar to the Catterick veterans, but flies over south Lincolnshire and Norfolk on its way to the Suffolk home of the RAF Regiment.

One of the aims of PARAMOTOR CHALLENGE 30 is to draw attention to the work of the Centurion Fund and the RAF Benevolent Fund. Both worthy causes that support serving personnel and the veteran community.

The proposed date of the exercise is between the 17 Jul and the 11 Aug 2023 and as it approaches a clearer weather picture will form, so the dates will solidify. The intention is to put them out over the media in one form or another.

So, if you’re near RAF Catterick, Belton Park or RAF Honington when the attempt takes place look up and wave!